Improvement in corsets



M. K. BORTR EE.

Corset.

Patented ]u\y13,1875

N FETERS. FHDTO-LITHDGRAFHEFL WASHINGTON. D c.

nOSnS K. Bonrann, on JACKSON, MioHrGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSET'S.

Specirieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,534, dated July 13, 1875; application filed February 12, 1875.

.To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, MOSES K. BORTREE, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State ot' Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification The rst part ot' my invention relates to the employment, in a corset, of bones77 composed of two or more strips or layers of whalebone or horn, so that, as is generally the case, a portion of one strip being cross-grained, it will be covered by the straight grain of the other strip at that point, whereby the danger of fracture is greatly diminished. The second part ot' my invention relates to the form of the corset at the bottom of its sides, in each of which a recess is cut; or a piece is entirely removed, so as to allow the apex of the hip to protrude from the corset, thereby giving the wearer greater freedom of action. The third part of my invention relates to the arrangement of the bones in the sides of the corset in Such a manner as to diverge from a point under the arm to points in front ot' and behind the hip,

Vabove which there is no bone to break, or to cut through the corset fabric and irritate the wearer at the crown of the hip.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved eorset. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a duplex corset-bone. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the metal tip or socket for the ends of a duplex bone.

piece, A1 and A2 the slide or hip pieces, and A3 the front piece, of one-half of my corset, when the pieces are stitched together. The front hip-section A2 has a triangular gore, a, forming part of the swell of the bust, and in the front piece A3 a similar gore, a', is inserted, which completes the swell ot' the bust. These gores, with the four main pieces, form the half of a corset of six pieces, and the complete corset will not only perfectly lit the wearer, but can be rolled up tightly for packing away without danger of crushing the bust. The bones are inserted in the front, sides, and .back ofthe corset, in the sockets or receptacles stitched in the cover and lining of the corset, in the lines In the drawing, A represents the back B. The bones of the side or hip pieces A1 and A2 do not extend down over the hips, as heretofore, but diverge from a point under the armpit to the lower edge of the corset in front and behind the hip-joint, over which there are no bones to break, or to wear through the corset and annoy the wearer by pressure on the hip. To relieve the crown ot' the hipjoints from the pressure of the corset, due to the weight of the skirts, Svc., an arched opening, C, is cut inthe lower edges ot' the hip-sections A1 A2, through which the top of the hip projects, the advantage of which will be apparent. To prevent any tendency of the lower ends of the steels to turn up or outwardly, the sides ot' each hip-opening G are connected by a Strap, D, and buckle D', attached to the lower edges of the pieces Al A2, respectively. The strap passes around the hip below the crown, and can be so adjusted as to keep the lower edge of the corset in position at the front and back. Two straps can be used at each opening; but a single broad strap is deemed preferable. The bones of corsets are made ot' thin strips of whalebone, or, in some cases, of Similar strips ot' horn, which are almost invariably crossgrained at one or more points in their length', and consequently liable to break at those points. To overcome this objection 1 make the bones duplex-that is to say, I lay two strips, B, one upon the other, as in Fig. 3, to form a single bone, and slip them into each bonesocket of the corset. If there be a crossgrained spot in one strip it will, in all probability, be opposed or covered by the straight grain of the other strip, so that all danger of breaking bones from that source is obviated. To prevent the sharp ends ot' the bones from wearing or cutting through the fabric of the corset,I provide a socket, b, of thin sheet metal, into which the ends of a pair of strips are received, said socket or tip being fastened thereto by an indentation from a centerpunch, which sets a portion of the metal into the bone. The end of each tip is rounded, so as not to cut or abrade the fabric.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A corset-bone wherein two or more strips of whalebone or horn are placed one upon the other, substantially as aud for the purpose set forth.

-2. In combination, a eorsetbone composed of two or more strips of whalebone or horn placed one upon the other, and a metallic tip,

b, to hold the end of the same, substantiallyY as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a corset, the combination of the-pieces A Al A2 A3 and the gores a al, the several parts constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a corset, the combination of the side pieces Al A2, the bones in said pieces starting from a point; under the arm, and diverging to the front and rear, avoiding the hips, the eutaway portion C, and the strap D D', all oonstrueted and arranged substantially as and A for the purpose set forth.

n MOSES K. BORTREE. Witnesses H. F. EER'rs, C. E. HUEs'ris. 

